Hamburg to receive $2 million grant for broadband work
by August 17, 2020 10:58 am 241 views
The Arkansas Department of Commerce awarded the city of Hamburg $2 million from its Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) broadband grant program. The city will work in partnership with CableSouth Media 3 and the project will deploy fiber to homes in Hamburg.
The Arkansas Department of Commerce received $19.3 million in CARES Act funds for ARC grants after an approval from the CARES Act Steering Committee and the Arkansas legislature. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was approved by Congress earlier this year to provide aid to individuals, businesses and state and local governments in response to the pandemic.
“It is exciting to see broadband deployed to rural communities through fiber,” Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston said in a statement. “This is an investment for the state that benefits future generations.”
Grant recipients must expend the COVID-19 federal funds by Dec. 30 of this year. Additionally, $4.7 million is available in state funds for projects that would extend beyond Dec. 30. The goal of the program is to provide high-speed broadband to rural communities.